 |
So the next night the princess went with the dancing-girl to the tree, where, hiding themselves behind the trunk, they waited to see what might happen.
Sure enough, after a while it became light that was neither sunlight nor moonlight; then the sweeper came forth and swept the ground, the water-carrier sprinkled it, the carpet-bearers placed the rugs, and last of all, to the sound of music the glittering procession swept out. How the princess's heart beat when, in the young prince with the red star, she recognised her dearest husband; and how it ached when she saw how pale he was, and how little he seemed to care to dance.
Then, when all had performed before the king, the light went out, and the princess crept home. Every night she would go to the tree and watch; but all day she would weep, because she seemed no nearer getting back her lover.
At last, one day, the dancing-girl said to her, 'O princess, I have hit upon a plan. The Snake-king is passionately fond of dancing, and yet it is only men who dance before him. Now, if a woman were to do so, who knows but he might be so pleased that he would grant her anything she asked? Let me try!'
'Nay,' replied the princess, 'I will learn of you and try myself.'
So the princess learnt to dance, and in an incredibly short time she far surpassed her teacher. Never before or since was such a graceful, charming, elegant dancer seen. Everything about her was perfection. Then she dressed herself in finest muslins and silver brocades, with diamonds on her veil, till she shone and sparkled like a star.
With beating heart she hid behind the tree and waited. The sweeper, the water-carrier, the carpet-bearers, came forth in turn, and then the glittering procession. Ruby Prince looked paler and sadder than ever, and when his turn came to dance, he hesitated, as if sick at heart; but from behind the tree stepped a veiled woman, clad in white, with jewels flashing, and danced before the king. Never was there such a dance!—everybody held their breath till it was done, and then the king cried aloud, 'O unknown dancer, ask what you will, and it shall be yours!'
'Give me the man for whom I danced!' replied the princess.
The Snake-king looked very fierce, and his eyes glittered, as he said, 'You have asked something you had no right to ask, and I should kill you were it not for my promise. Take him, and begone!'
Quick as thought, the princess seized Ruby Prince by the hand, dragged him beyond the circle, and fled.
After that they lived very happily, and though the women still taunted her, the princess held her tongue, and never again asked her husband of what race he came.
NOTES TO TALES
SIR BUZZ
Sir Buzz.—In the vernacular Mīyān Bhūngā, which is Pānjabī for Sir Beetle or Sir Bee. The word is clearly connected with the common Aryan roots frem, bhran, bhah, bhin, to buzz as a bee or beetle.
Tigress.—Not otherwise described by the narrators than as a bhūt, which is usually a malignant ghost, but here she is rather a benevolent fairy.
Span.—The word in the vernacular was hāth, the arm below the elbow, or conventionally half-a-yard, or 18 inches.
Hundredweight.—The word here is man, an Indian weight of about 80 Ibs.
Princess Blossom.—Bādshāhzādi Phūlī, Princess Flower, or Phūlāzādī, Born-of-a-flower.
One-eyed Chief Constable.—Kotwįl is the word used in the original; he is a very familiar figure in all oriental tales of Musalmān origin, and must have been one in actual medięval oriental life, as he was the chief police (if such a term can be used with propriety) officer in all cities. The expression 'one-eyed' is introduced to show his evil nature, according to the well-known saying and universal belief—
Kānā, kāchrā, hoch-gardanā: yeh tīnon kamsāt! Jablag has apnā chale, to koī na pūchhe but.
Wall-eyed, blear-eyed, wry-necked: these three are evil. While his own resources last none asketh them for help.
Vampire.-The word used was the Arabic ghūl (in English usually ghowl or ghoul), the vampire, man-devouring demon, which corresponds to the bhūt and pret, the malignant ghosts of the Hindus. It may be noted here that the Persian ghol is the loup-garou of Europe, the man-devouring demon of the woods.
King Indar or Indra—Was originally the beneficent god of heaven, giver of rain, etc., but in the later Hindu mythology he took only second rank as ruler of the celestial beings who form the Court of Indra (Indar kā akhārā or Indrāsan Sabhā), synonymous with gaiety of life and licentiousness.
THE RAT'S WEDDING
Pipkin—Gharā, the common round earthen pot of India, known to Anglo-Indians as 'chatty' (chātī).
Quarts of milk—The vernacular word was ser, a weight of 2 lbs.; natives always measure liquids by weight, not by capacity.
Wild plum-tree—Ber, several trees go by this name, but the species usually meant are (1) the Zizyphus jujuba, which is generally a garden tree bearing large plum-like fruit: this is the Pomum adami of Marco Polo; (2) the Zizyphus nummularia, often confounded with the camel-thorn, a valuable bush used for hedges, bearing a small edible fruit. The former is probably meant here.—See Stewart's Punjab Plants, pp. 43-44.
Millet—Pennisetum italicum, a very small grain.
Green plums I sell, etc.—The words are—
Gaderī gader! gaderī gader! Rājā dī betī chūhā le giā gher.
Green fruit! green fruit! The rat has encompassed the Rājā's daughter.
Stool—Pīrhī, a small, low, square stool with a straight upright back, used by native women.
Stewpan-lid—Sarposh, usually the iron or copper cover used to cover degchīs or cooking-pots.
THE FAITHFUL PRINCE
Bahrāmgor—This tale is a variant in a way of a popular story published in the Panjāb in various forms in the vernacular, under the title of the Story of Bahrāmgor and the Fairy Hasan Bāno. The person meant is no doubt Bahrāmgor, the Sassanian King of Persia, known to the Greeks as Varanes V., who reigned 420-438 A.D. The modern stories, highly coloured with local folklore, represent the well-known tale in India—through the Persian—of Bahrāmgor and Dilārām. Bahrāmgor was said to have been killed while hunting the wild ass (gor), by jumping into a pool after it, when both quarry and huntsman disappeared for ever. He is said to be the father of Persian poetry.
Demons: Demonsland.—The words used are deo or dev and deostān; here the deo is a malicious spirit by nature.
Jasdrūl.—It is difficult to say who this can be, unless the name be a corruption of Jasrat Rāī, through Rāwal (rūl) = Rāo = Rāī; thus Jasrat Rāī = Jasrat Rāwal = Jasad Rawal = Jasadrūl. If this be the case, it stands for Dasaratha, the father of Rāma Chandra, and so vicariously a great personage in Hindu story. It is obvious that in giving names to demons or fairies the name of any legendary or fabulous personage of fame will be brought under contribution.
Shāhpasand.—This is obviously a fancy name, like its prototype Dilaram (Heart's Ease), and means King's Delight. The variant Hasan Bano means the Lady of Beauty. In the Pushto version of probably the original story the name is Gulandama = Rosa, a variant probably of the Flower Princess. See Plowden's Translation of the Kalid-i-Afghānķ, p. 209 ff.
Chief Constable.—See note to Sir Buzz, ante.
Emerald Mountain.—Koh-i-Zamurrad in the original. The whole story of Bahrāmgor is mixed up with the 'King of China,' and so it is possible that the legendary fame of the celebrated Green Mount in the Winter Palace at Pekin is referred to here (see Yule's Marco Polo, vol. i. pp. 326-327 and 330). It is much more probable, however, that the legends which are echoed here are local variants or memories of the tale of the Old Man of the Mountain and the Assassins, so famous in many a story in Europe and Asia in the Middle Ages, e.g. The Romans of Bauduin de Sebourg, where the lovely Ivorine is the heroine of the Red Mountain, and which has a general family likeness to this tale worth observing (see on this point generally Yule's Marco Polo, vol. i. pp. cxliv-cli and 132-140, and the notes to Ind. Ant. vol. xi. p. 285 ff.; which last, though treated as superseded here, may serve to throw light on the subject). It is evident that we are here treading on very interesting ground, alive with many memories of the East, which it would be well worth while to investigate.
Nūnak Chand.—Judging by the analogy of the name Nānaksā (sic) in Indian Fairy Tales, pp. 114 ff. and 276, where Nānaksā, obviously Nānak Shāh or Bābā Nānak, the founder of the Sikh religion, ob. 1538 A.D., is turned into a wonder-working faqīr of the ordinary sort, it is a fair guess to say that this name is meant for him too.
Safed.—On the whole it is worth while hazarding that this name is a corruption, or rather, an adaptation to a common word—safed, white—of the name Saifur for the demon in the older legends of Bahrāmgor. If so, it occurs there in connection with the universal oriental name Faghfūr, for the Emperor of China. Yule, Marco Polo, vol. ii. p. 110, points out that Faghfūr = Baghbūr = Bagh Pūr, a Persian translation of the Chinese title Tien-tse, Son of Heaven, just as the name or title Shāh Pūr = the Son of the King. Perhaps this Saifūr in the same way = Shāh Pūr. But see note in Ind. Ant. vol. xi. p. 288.
Antimony.—Black sulphuret of antimony, used for pencilling the eyes and beautifying them. There are two preparations for darkening the eyes—surma and kājal. Kājal is fine lamp-black, but the difference between its use and that of surma is that the former is used for making a blot to avoid the evil eye (na*ar) and the latter merely as a beautifier.
Yech-cap.—For a detailed account of the yech or yāch of Kashmīr see Ind. Ant. vol. xi. pp. 260-261 and footnotes. Shortly, it is a humorous though powerful sprite in the shape of an animal smaller than a cat, of a dark colour, with a white cap on its head. The feet are so small as to be almost invisible. When in this shape it has a peculiar cry—chot, chot, chū-ū-ot, chot. All this probably refers to some night animal of the squirrel (? civet cat) tribe. It can assume any shape, and, if its white cap can be got possession of, it becomes the servant of the possessor. The cap renders the human wearer invisible. Mythologically speaking, the yech is the descendant of the classical Hindu yaksha, usually described as an inoffensive, harmless sprite, but also as a malignant imp.
The farther you climb the higher it grows.—This is evidently borrowed from the common phenomenon of ridge beyond ridge, each in turn deceiving the climber into the belief that he has reached the top.
THE BEAR'S BAD BARGAIN
Khichrī.—A dish of rice and pulse (dāl).
The weights the bear carries.—These are palpable exaggerations; thus in India the regulation camel-load is under 3 cwts., but they will carry up to 5 cwts. A strong hill-man in the Himālayas will carry 1/2 cwt., and on occasion almost a whole cwt. up the hill.
PRINCE LIONHEART
Lionheart.—The full vernacular title of this Prince was Sherdil Shahryār Shahrābād, Lionheart, the Friend and Restorer of the City. All these names are common titles of oriental monarchs.
Knifegrinder, Blacksmith, Carpenter.—In the vernacular sānwālā, lohįr, tarkhān. The first in the East, like his brother in the West, is an itinerant journeyman, who wanders about with a wheel for grinding.
Demon.—Here bhūt, a malignant ghost or vampire, but as his doings in the tale correspond more to those of a deo, demon, than of a bhūt, the word has been translated by 'demon.'
Pīpal.—Constantly occurring in folk-tales, is the Ficus religiosa of botanists, and a large fig-tree much valued for its shade. It is sacred to Hindus, and never cut by them. One reason perhaps may be that its shade is very valuable and its wood valueless. Its leaves are used in divination to find out witches, thieves, liars, etc., and it is the chosen haunt of ghosts and hobgoblins of all sorts—hence its frequent appearance in folk-lore.
Mannikin.—The word used was the ordinary expression maddhrā, Panjābī for a dwarf or pigmy.
Ghost.—Churel, properly the ghost of a woman who dies in childbirth. The belief in these malignant spirits is universal, and a source of much terror to natives by night. Their personal appearance is fairly described in the text: very ugly and black, breastless, protruding in stomach and navel, and feet turned back. This last is the real test of a churel, even in her beautiful transformation. A detailed account of the churel and beliefs in her and the methods of exorcism will be found in the Calcutta Review, No. cliii. p. 180 ff.
Jinn.—A Muhammadan spirit, properly neither man, angel, nor devil, but superhuman. According to correct Muhammadan tradition, there are five classes of Jinns worth noting here for information—Jānn, Jinn, Shaitān, 'Ifrīt, and Mārid. They are all mentioned in Musalmān folk-tales, and but seldom distinguished in annotations. In genuine Indian folk-tales, however, the character ascribed to the Jinn, as here, has been borrowed from the Rakshasa, which is Hindu in origin, and an ogre in every sense of the European word.
Smell of a man.—The expression used is always in the vernacular mānushgandh, i.e. man-smell. The direct Sanskrit descent of the compound is worthy of remark.
Starling.—Mainā: the Gracula religiosa, a talking bird, much valued, and held sacred. It very frequently appears in folk- tales, like the parrot, probably from being so often domesticated by people of means and position for its talking qualities.
Cup.—Donā, a cup made of leaves, used by the very poor as a receptacle for food.
Wise woman.—Kutnī and paphe-kutnī were the words used, of which perhaps 'wise woman' is the best rendering. Kutnī is always a term of abuse and reproach, and is used in the sense of witch or wise woman, but the bearers do not seem to possess, as a rule, any supernatural powers. Hag, harridan, or any similar term will usually correctly render the word.
Flying palanquin.—The words used for this were indifferently dolā, a bridal palanquin, and burj, a common word for a balloon.
THE LAMBIKIN
Lambikin.—The words used were Panjābī, lelā, lerā, lekrā, and lelkarā, a small or young lamb.
Lambikin's Songs.—Of the first the words were Panjābī—
Nānī kol jāwāngū: Motā tājā āwāngā Pher tūn main nūn khāwāngā.
Of the second song—
Wan piā lelkarā: wan pī tū. Chal dhamkiriā! Dham! Kā! Dhū!
These the rhymes render exactly. The words dham, kā, dhū are pronounced sharply, so as to imitate the beats on a drum.
Drumikin.—The dhamkīriā or dhamkirī in Panjābī is a small drum made by stretching leather across a wide-mouthed earthen cup (piyālā). The Jatts make it of a piece of hollow wood, 6 inches by 3 inches, with its ends covered with leather.
BOPOLUCHI
Bopolūchī.—Means Trickster.
Uncle: uncle-in-law.—The words used were māmū, mother's brother, and patiauhrā, husband's (or father-in-law's) younger brother.
Pedlar.—Wanjārā or banjārā (from wanaj or banaj, a bargain), a class of wandering pedlars who sell spices, etc.
Robber.—The word used was thag, lit. a deceiver. The Thags are a class but too well known in India as those who make their living by deceiving and strangling travellers. Meadows Taylor's somewhat sensational book, The Confessions of a Thug, has made their doings familiar enough, too, in England. In the Indian Penal Code a thag is defined as a person habitually associated with others for the purpose of committing robbery or child-stealing by means of murder.
Crow's, etc., verses,.—The original words were—
Bopo Lūchi! Aqlon ghuthī, Thag nāl thagī gai.
Bopo Lūchi! You have lost your wits, And have been deceived by a thag.
Bridal scarlet.—Every Panjābī bride, however poor, wears a dress of scarlet and gold for six months, and if rich, for two years.
PRINCESS AUBERGINE
Princess Aubergine,—The vernacular name for the story is Baingan Bādshāhzādī. The Baingan, baigan, begun, or bhāntā is the Solanum melongena, i.e. the egg-plant, or aubergine. Europeans in India know it by the name of brinjāl; it is a very common and popular vegetable in the rains.
Exchanging veils,—To exchange veils among women, and to exchange turbans among men, is a common way of swearing friendship among Panjābīs. The women also drink milk out of the same cup on such occasions.
Nine-lakh necklace,—The introduction of the Nau-lakkhā hār, or nine-lākh necklace, is a favourite incident in Indian folk-tales. Nau-lakkhā means worth nine lākhs, or nine hundred thousand rupees. Frequently magic powers are ascribed to this necklace, but the term nau-lakkhā has come also to be often used conventionally for 'very valuable,' and so is applied to gardens, palaces, etc. Probably all rich Rajas have a hankering to really possess such a necklace, and the last Mahārājā of Patiālā, about fifteen years ago, bought a real one of huge diamonds, including the Sansy, for Rupees 900,000. It is on show always at the palace in the fort at Patiālā.
VALIANT VICKY
Valiant Vicky, the Brave Weaver,—In the original the title is 'Fatteh Khān, the valiant weaver.' Victor Prince is a very fair translation of the name Fatteh Khān. The original says his nickname or familiar name was Fattū, which would answer exactly to Vicky for Victor. Fattū is a familiar (diminutive form) of the full name Fatteh Khān. See Proper Names of Panjābīs, passim, for the explanation of this.
THE SON OF SEVEN MOTHERS
For a long and interesting variant of this tale see Indian Antiquary, vol. x. p. 151 ff.
Fakīr,—Properly faqīr, is a Muhammadan devotee, but in modern India the term is used for any kind of holy man, whatever be his religion. For instance, the 'Salvation Army' were styled at Lahore, at a meeting of natives, by a Sikh gentleman of standing, as Vilāyatī fuqrā, European faqīrs. The power of granting children to barren women is ascribed in story to all saints and holy personages of fame.
Witch—The word used was dāyan. In the Panjāb a woman with the evil eye (which by the way is not necessarily in India possessed by the wicked only, see Panjāb Notes and Queries, 1883-84, passim), who knows the dāyan kā mantar, or charm for destroying life by taking out the heart. The word in its various modern forms is derived from the classical dākinī, the female demon attendant on Kali, the goddess of destruction.
Jōgi's wonderful cow—The jōgi is a Hindu ascetic, but like the word faqīr, jōgi is often used for any kind of holy man, as here. Supernatural powers are very commonly ascribed to them, as well as the universal attribute of granting sons. Classically the yōgi is the devotee seeking yoga, the union of the living with the sublime soul. The wonderful cow is the modern fabulously productive cow Kāmdhain, representing the classical Kāmdhenu, the cow of Indra that granted all desires. Hence, probably, the dragging in here of Indra for the master of the jōgi of the tale. Kāmdhain and Kāmdhenu are both common terms to the present day for cows that give a large quantity of milk.
Eighteen thousand demons—No doubt the modern representatives—the specific number given being, as is often the case, merely conventionally—of the guards of Indra, who were in ancient days the Maruts or Winds, and are in modern times his Court. See note.
THE SPARROW AND THE CROW
The Song.—The form of words in the original is important. The following gives the variants and the strict translation—
Tū Chhappar Dās, Main Kāng Dās, Deo paneriyā, Dhoven chucheriyā, Khāwen khijeriyā, Dekh chiriyā kā chūchlā, Main kāng sapariyā.
You are Mr. Tank, I am Mr. Crow, Give me water, That I may wash my beak, And eat my khichrī, See the bird's playfulness, I am a clean crow.
Tū Lohār Dās, Main Kāng Dās, Tū deo pharwā, Main khodūn ghasarwā, Khilāwen bhainsarwā, Chowen dūdharwā, Pilāwen hirnarwā, Toren singarwā, Khōden chalarwā, Nikālen panarwā, Dhoven chunjarwā, Khāwen khijarwā, Dehk chiriyā kā chūchlā, Main kāng saparwā.
You are Mr. Blacksmith, I am Mr. Crow, You give me a spade, And I will dig the grass, That I may give it the buffalo to eat, And take her milk, And give it the deer to drink, And break his horn, And dig the hole, And take out the water, And wash my beak, And eat my khichrī, See the bird's playfulness, I am a clean crow.
THE BRAHMAN AND THE TIGER
The Tiger, the Brāhman, and the Jackal. A very common and popular Indian tale. Under various forms it is to be found in most collections. Variants exist in the Bhāgavata Purāna and the Gul Bakāolā, and in the Amvār-i-Suhelī. A variant is also given in the Indian Antiquary, vol. xii. p. 177.
Buffalo's complaint.—The work of the buffalo in the oil-press is the synonym all India over—and with good reason—for hard and thankless toil for another's benefit.
As miserable as a fish out of water.—In the original the allusion is to a well-known proverb—mandā hāl wāng Jatt jharī de— as miserable as a Jatt in a shower. Any one who has seen the appearance of the Panjābī cultivator attempting to go to his fields on a wet, bleak February morning, with his scant clothing sticking to his limp and shivering figure, while the biting wind blows through him, will well understand the force of the proverb.
THE KING OF THE CROCODILES
King of the Crocodiles—In the original the title is Bādshāh Ghariāl.
Lying amid the crops—It is commonly said in the Panjāb that crocodiles do so.
Demons of crocodiles.—The word used for demon here was jinn, which is remarkable in this connection.
Henna—Mehndī or hinā is the Lawsonia alba, used for staining the finger and toe nails of the bride red. The ceremony of sanchit, or conveying the henna to the bride by a party of the bride's friends, is the one alluded to.
LITTLE ANKLEBONE
Little Anklebone—This tale appears to be unique among Indian folk-tales, and is comparable with Grimm's Singing Bone. It is current in the Bār or wilds of the Gujrānwālā District, among the cattle-drovers' children. Wolves are very common there, and the story seems to point to a belief in some invisible shepherd, a sort of Spirit of the Bār, whose pipe may be heard. The word used for 'Little Ankle-bone' was Gīrī, a diminutive form of the common word gittā. In the course of the story in the original, Little Anklebone calls himself Giteta Ram, an interesting instance of the process of the formation of Panjābī proper names.
Auntie—Māsī, maternal aunt.
Tree that weeps over yonder pond—Ban, i.e. Salvadora oleoides, a common tree of the Panjāb forests.
Jackal howled—A common evil omen.
Marble basins—The word used was daurā, a wide-mouthed earthen vessel, and also in palaces a marble drinking-trough for animals.
The verses,—The original and literal translation are as follows—
Kyūn garjāe badalā garkanāe? Gaj karak sāre des; Ohnān hirnīān de than pasmāe: Gitetā Rām gīā pardes!
Why echo, O thundering clouds? Roar and echo through all the land; The teats of the does yonder are full of milk: Gitetā Rām has gone abroad!
THE CLOSE ALLIANCE
Providence—Khudā and Allah were the words for Providence or God in this tale, it being a Muhammadan one.
Kabābs—Small pieces of meat roasted or fried on skewers with onions and eggs: a favourite Muhammadan dish throughout the East.
His own jackal—From time immemorial the tiger has been supposed to be accompanied by a jackal who shows him his game and gets the leavings as his wages. Hence the Sanskrit title of vyāghra-nāyaka or tiger-leader for the jackal.
Pigtail—The Kashmīrī woman's hair is drawn to the back of the head and finely braided. The braids are then gathered together and, being mixed with coarse woollen thread, are worked into a very long plait terminated by a thick tassel, which reaches almost down to the ankles. It is highly suggestive of the Chinese pigtail, but it is far more graceful.
THE TWO BROTHERS
Barley meal instead of wheaten cakes—Jau kī roti, barley bread, is the poor man's food, as opposed to gihūn kī rotī, wheaten bread, the rich man's food. Barley bread is apt to produce flatulence.
With empty stomachs, etc.—The saying is well known and runs thus—
Kahīn mat jāo khālī pet. Hove māgh yā hove jeth.
Go nowhere on an empty stomach, Be it winter or be it summer.
Very necessary and salutary advice in a feverish country like India.
If any man eats me, etc.—Apparent allusion to the saying rendered in the following verse—
Jo nar totā mārkar khāve per ke heth, Kuchh sansā man na dhare, woh hogā rājā jeth. Jo mainā ko mār khā, man men rakhe dhīr; Kuchh chintā man na kare, woh sadā rahegā wazīr.
Who kills a parrot and eats him under a tree, Should have no doubt in his mind, he will be a great king. Who kills and eats a starling, let him be patient: Let him not be troubled in his mind, he will be minister for life.
Snake-demon—The word was isdār, which represents the Persian izhdahā, izhdār, or izhdar, a large serpent, python.
Sacred elephant.—The reference here is to the legend of the safed hāthī or dhaulā gaj, the white elephant. He is the elephant-headed God Ganesa, and as such is, or rather was formerly, kept by Rājās as a pet, and fed to surfeit every Tuesday (Mangalwār) with sweet cakes (chūrīs). After which he was taught to go down on his knees to the Rājā and swing his trunk to and fro, and this was taken as sign that he acknowledged his royalty. He was never ridden except occasionally by the Rājā himself. Two sayings, common to the present day, illustrate these ideas—'Woh to Mahārājā hai, dhaule gaj par sowār: he is indeed king, for he rides the white elephant.' And 'Mahārājā dhaulā gajpati kidohāī: (I claim the) protection of the great king, the lord of the white elephant.' The idea appears to be a very old one, for Ęlian (Hist. Anim. vol. iii. p. 46), quoting Megasthenes, mentions the white elephant. See M'Crindle, India as described by Megasthenes and Arrian, pp. 118, 119; Indian Antiquary, vol. vi. p. 333 and footnote.
Brass drinking bowl.—The lotā, universal throughout India.
Ogre.—In the original rākhas = the Sanskrit rākhasa, translated ogre advisedly for the following reasons:—The rākhasa (rākhas, an injury) is universal in Hindu mythology as a superhuman malignant fiend inimical to man, on whom he preys, and that is his character, too, throughout Indian folk-tales. He is elaborately described in many an orthodox legend, but very little reading between the lines in these shows him to have been an alien enemy on the borders of Aryan tribes. The really human character of the rākhasa is abundantly evident from the stories about him and his doings. He occupies almost exactly the position in Indian tales that the ogre does in European story, and for the same reason, as he represents the memory of the savage tribes along the old Aryan borders. The ogre, no doubt, is the Uighur Tātar magnified by fear into a malignant demon. For the rākhasa see the Dictionaries of Dowson, Garrett, and Monier Williams, in verbo; Muir's Sanskrit Texts, vol. ii. p. 420, etc.: and for the ogre see Panjāb Notes and Queries, vol. i., in verbo.
Goat.—The ogre's eating a goat is curious: cf. the Sanskrit name ajagara, goat-eater, for the python (nowadays ajgar), which corresponds to the izhdahā or serpent-demon on p. 131.
THE JACKAL AND THE LIZARD.
The verses.—In the original they are—
Chāndī dā merā chauntrā, koī sonā lipāī! Kāne men merā gūkrū, shāhzādā baithā hai!
My platform is of silver, plastered with gold! Jewels are in my ears, I sit here a prince!
The verses.—In the original they are—
Hadī dā terā chauntrā, koī gobar lipaī! Kāne men terī jūtī; koī gīdar baithā hai!
Thy platform is of bones, plastered with cow-dung! Shoes are in thy ears; some jackal sits there!
THE SPARROW'S MISFORTUNE
Verses.—In the original these are—
Saukan rangan men charhī, Main bhī rangan men parī,
My co-wife got dyed, I too fell into the vat.
Verses.—In the original—
Ik sarī, ik balī; Ik hinak mode charhī,
One is vexed and one grieved; And one is carried laughing on the shoulder.
The allusion here is to a common tale. The story goes that a man who had two wives wanted to cross a river. Both wives wanted to go across first with him, so in the end, leaving the elder to walk, he took the younger on his shoulder, who mocked the elder with the words—
Ik sarī, dūī balī; Dūī jāī mūnde charhī.
First she was vexed, next she grieved; While the other went across on the shoulder.
Hence the sting of the old sparrow's taunt.
Verses.—In the original—
Ik chamkhat hūī; Chirī rangan charhī; Chirā bedan karī; Pīpal patte jharī; Mahīn sing jharī; Naīn bahķ khārī; Koļl hūī kānī; Bhagtū diwanī; Bandī padnī; Rānī nāchnī; Putr dholkī bajānī; Rājā sargī bajānī;
One hen painted, And the other was dyed, And the cock loved her, So the pīpal shed its leaves, And the buffalo her horns, So the river became salt, And the cuckoo lost an eye, So Bhagtū went mad, And the maid took to swearing, So the Queen took to dancing, And the Prince took to drumming, And the King took to thrumming.
THE PRINCESS PEPPERINA
Princess Pepperina.—In the original Shāhzādī Mirchā or Filfil Shāhzādī: mirch is the Capsicum annuum or common chilli, green and red.
Sheldrakes.—The chakwā, male, and chakwī, female, is the ruddy goose or sheldrake, known to Europeans as the Brāhmanī duck, Anas casarca or Casarca rutila. It is found all over India in the winter, and its plaintive night cry has given rise to a very pretty legend. Two lovers are said to have been for some indiscretion turned into Brāhmanī ducks, and condemned to pass the night apart from each other, on the opposite sides of a river. All night long each asks the other in turn if it shall join its mate, and the answer is always 'no.' The words supposed to be said are—
Chakwā, main āwān? Nā, Chakwī! Chakwī, main āwān? Nā, Chakwā!
Chakwā, shall I come? No, Chakwī! Chakwī, shall I come? No, Chakwā!
PEASIE AND BEANSIE
Peasie and Beansie, p. 167.—In the original Motho and Mūngo. Motho is a vetch, Phaseolus aconitifolius; and mūng is a variety of pulse, Phaseolus mungo. Peasie and Beansie are very fair translations of the above.
Plum-tree, p. 167.—Ber, Zizyphus jujuba.
THE SNAKE-WOMAN
King 'Ali Mardān—'Ali Mardān Khān belongs to modern history, having been Governor (not King, as the tale has it) of Kashmīr, under the Emperor Shāh Jahān, about A.D. 1650, and very famous in India in many ways. He was one of the most magnificent governors Kashmīr ever had, and is now the best-remembered.
Snake-Woman—In the original Lamiā, said in Kashmīr to be a snake 200 years old, and to possess the power of becoming a woman. In India, especially in the hill districts, it is called Yahawwā. In this tale the Lamiā is described as being a Wāsdeo, a mythical serpent. Wāsdeo is the same as Vāsudeva, a descendant of Vasudeva. Vasudeva was the earthly father of Krishna and of his elder brother Balarāma, so Balarāma was a Vāsudeva. Balarāma in the classics is constantly mixed up with Sčsha (now Sesh Nāg), a king of serpents, and with Vāsuki (Bāsak Nāg), also a king of serpents; while Ananta, the infinite, the serpent whose legend combines that of Vāsuki and Sźsha, is mixed not only with Balarāma, but also with Krishna. Hence the name Wāsdeo for a serpent. The Lamiā is not only known in India from ancient times to the present day, but also in Tibet and Central Asia generally, and in Europe from ancient to medięval times, and always as a malignant supernatural being. For discussions on her, see notes to the above in the Indian Antiquary, vol. xi. pp. 230-232, and the discussion following, entitled 'Lamiā or ' pp. 232-235. Also Comparetti's Researches into the Book of Sindibād, Folklore Society's ed., passim.
Dal Lake—The celebrated lake at Srinagar in Kashmīr.
_Emperor of China's Handmaiden_—A common way of explaining the origin of unknown girls in Musālman tales. Kashmīr is essentially a Musalmān country._
Shalimār gardens.—At Srinagar, made by the Emperor Jahangir, who preceded 'Ali Mardān Khān by a generation, for Nūr Mahal. Moore, Lalla Rookh, transcribes in describing them the well-known Persian verses in the Dīwān-i-Khās (Hall of Private Audience) at Delhi and elsewhere—
'And oh! if there be an Elysium on earth, It is this, it is this.'
The verses run really thus—
Agar firdūs ba rū-e-zamīn ast, Hamīn ast o hamīn ast o hamīn ast!
If there be an Elysium on the face of the earth, It is here, and it is here, and it is here!
Shāh Jahān built the Shālimār gardens at Lahor, in imitation of those at Srinagar, and afterwards Ranjīt Singh restored them. They are on the Amritsar Road.
Gangābal.—A holy lake on the top of Mount Harāmukh, 16,905 feet, in the north of Kashmīr. It is one of the sources of the Jhelam River, and the scene of an annual fair about 20th August.
Khichrī.—Sweet khichrī consists of rice, sugar, cocoa-nut, raisins, cardamoms, and aniseed; salt khichrī of pulse and rice.
The stone in the ashes.—The pāras, in Sanskrit sparsamani, the stone that turns what it touches into gold.
Attock.—In the original it is the Atak River (the Indus) near Hoti Mardān, which place is near Atak or Attock. The similarity in the names 'Ali Mardan and Hotī Mardān probably gave rise to this statement. They have no connection whatever.
THE WONDERFUL RING
The Wonderful Ring.—In the vernacular 'ajab mundrā: a variant of the inexhaustible box.
Holy place.—Chaunkā, a square place plastered with cow-dung, used by Hindus when cooking or worshipping. The cow-dung sanctifies and purifies it.
Aunt.—Māsī, maternal aunt.
THE JACKAL AND THE PEA-HEN
Plums, p. 195.—Ber, Zyziphus jujuba.
THE GRAIN OF CORN
The verses.—In the original they were—
_Phir gīā billī ke pās, 'Billī, rī billī, mūsā khāogī' Khātī khūnd pār nā! Khūnd chanā de nā! Rājā khātī dande nā! Rājā rānī russe nā! Sapnā rānī dase nā! Lāthī sapnā māre nā! Āg lāthī jalāve nā! Samundar āg bujhāve nā! Hāthī samundar sukhe nā! Nāre hāthī bandhe nā! Mūsā nāre kāte nā! Lūngā phir chorūn? nā!'
He then went to the cat (saying), 'Cat, cat, eat mouse. Woodman won't cut tree! Tree won't give peas! King won't beat woodman! Queen won't storm at king! Snake won't bite queen! Stick won't beat snake! Fire won't burn stick! Sea won't quench fire! Elephant won't drink up sea! Thong won't bind elephant! Mouse won't nip thong! I'll take (the pea) yet, I won't let it go!'_
It will be seen that in the text the order has been transposed for obvious literary convenience.
Verses.—In the original these are—
Usne kahā, 'Lap, lap, khāūngī!' Phir gīā mūsā ke pās, 'Mūsā, re mūsā, ab khā jāoge?' 'Ham bhī nāre katenge.' Phir gīā nāre ke pās, 'Nāre, re nāre, ab kāte jāoge?' 'Ham bhī hāthī bandhenge.' Phir gīā hāthī ke pās, 'Hāthī, re hāthī, ab bandhe jāoge?' 'Ham bhī samundar sūkhenge.' Phir gīā samundar ke pās, 'Samundar, re samundar, ab sukhe jāoge?' 'Ham bhī āg bujhāenge.' Phir gīā āg ke pās, 'Āg, rī āg, ab bujhāī jāogi?' 'Ham bhī lāthī jalāvenge.' Phir gīā lāthī ke pās, 'Lāthī, re lāthī, ab jal jāoge?' 'Ham bhī sāmp mārenge.' Phir gīā samp ke pās, 'Sāmp, re sāmp, ab māre jāoge?' 'Ham bhī rānī dasenge?' Phir gīā rānī ke pās, 'Rānī, rī rānī, ab dasī jāoge?' 'Ham bhī rājā rusenge.' Phir gīā rājā ke pās, 'Rājā, re raja, ab rānī rus jāoge?' 'Ham bhī khātī dāndenge.' Phir gīā khātī ke pās, 'Khātī, re khātī, ab dande jāoge?' 'Ham bhī khund kātenge.' Phir gīā khund ke pās, 'Khund, re khund, ab kāte jāoge?' 'Ham bhī chanā denge.' Phir woh chanā lekar chalā gīā?
The cat said, 'I will eat him up at once!' (So) he went to the mouse, 'Mouse, mouse, will you be eaten?' 'I will gnaw the thong.' He went to the thong, 'Thong, thong, will you be gnawed?' 'I will bind the elephant.' He went to the elephant, 'Elephant, elephant, will you be bound?' 'I will drink up the ocean.' He went to the ocean, 'Ocean, ocean, will you be drunk up?' 'I will quench the fire.' He went to the fire, 'Fire, fire, will you be quenched?' 'I will burn the stick.' He went to the stick, 'Stick, stick, will you be burnt?' 'I will beat the snake.' He went to the snake, 'Snake, snake, will you be beaten?' 'I will bite the queen.' He went to the queen, 'Queen, queen, will you be bitten?' 'I will storm at the king.' He went to the king, 'King, king, will you be stormed at by the queen?' 'I will beat the woodman.' He went to the woodman, 'Woodman, woodman, will you be beaten?' 'I will cut down the trunk.' He went to the trunk, 'Trunk, trunk, will you be cut down?' 'I will give you the pea.' So he got the pea and went away.
THE FARMER AND THE MONEY-LENDER
Money-lender—Līdū, a disreputable tradesman, a sharp practitioner.
Rām—Rāma Chandra, now 'God' par excellence.
Conch—Sankh, the shell used in Hindu worship for blowing upon.
THE LORD OF DEATH
Lord of Death.—Maliku'l-maut is the Muhammadan form of the name, Kāl is the Hindu form. The belief is that every living being has attached to him a 'Lord of Death.' He is represented in the 'passion plays' so common at the Dasahra and other festivals by a hunchbacked dwarf, quite black, with scarlet lips, fastened to a 'keeper' by a black chain and twirling about a black wand. The idea is that until this chain is loosened or broken the life which he is to kill is safe. The notion is probably of Hindu origin. For a note on the subject see Indian Antiquary, vol. x. pp. 289, 290.
THE WRESTLERS
The Wrestlers.—The story seems to be common all over India. In the Indian Antiquary, vol. x. p. 230, it is suggested that it represents some aboriginal account of the creation.
_Ten thousand pounds weight_.—In the original 160 _mans_, which weigh over 13,000 lbs._
GWASHBRARI
Gwāshbrāri, etc.—The Westarwān range is the longest spur into the valley of Kashmīr. The remarkably clear tilt of the strata probably suggested this fanciful and poetical legend. All the mountains mentioned in the tale are prominent peaks in Kashmīr, and belong to what Cunningham (Ladāk, 1854, ch. iii.) calls the Pīr Panjāl and Mid-Himālayan Range. Nangā Parbat, 26,829 ft., is to the N.W.; Harā Mukh, 16,905 ft., to the N.; Gwāshbrāri or Kolahoī, 17,839 ft., to the N.E. Westarwān is a long ridge running N.W. to S.E., between Khrū and Sotūr, right into the Kashmīr valley. Khru is not far from Srinagar, to the S.E.
Lay at Gwāshbrāri's feet, his head upon her heart.—As a matter of fact, Westarwān does not lay his head anywhere near Gwāshbrāri's feet, though he would appear to do so from Khrū, at which place the legend probably arose. An excellent account of the country between Khrū and Sesh Nāg, traversing most of that lying between Westarwān and Gwāshbrāri, by the late Colonel Cuppage, is to be found at pp. 206-221 of Ince's Kashmīr Handbook, 3rd ed., 1876.
THE BARBER'S CLEVER WIFE
Hornets' nest.—Properly speaking, bees. This species makes a so-called nest, i.e. a honey-comb hanging from the branch of a tree, usually a pīpal, over which the insects crawl and jostle each other in myriads in the open air. When roused, and any accident may do this, they become dangerous enemies, and will attack and sting to death any animal near. They form a real danger in the Central Indian jungles, and authentic cases in which they have killed horses and men, even Europeans, are numerous.
Fairy.—Parī, fairy, peri: the story indicates a very common notion.
THE JACKAL AND THE CROCODILE
Verses.—In the original they are—
Gādar, ghar kyā lāyā? Kyā chīz kamāyā? Ki merā khātir pāyā.
Jackal, what hast thou brought home? What thing hast thou earned? That I may obtain my wants.
The story has a parallel in most Indian collections, and two in Uncle Remus, in the stories of 'The Rabbit and the Wolf' and of 'The Terrapin and the Rabbit.'
HOW RAJA RASĀLU WAS BORN
Raja Rasālu—The chief legendary hero of the Panjāb, and probably a Scythian or non-Aryan king of great mark who fought both the Aryans to the east and the invading tribes (? Arabs) to the west. Popularly he is the son of the great Scythian hero Sālivāhana, who established the Sāka or Scythian era in 78 A.D. Really he, however, probably lived much later, and his date should be looked for at any period between A.D. 300 and A.D. 900. He most probably represented the typical Indian kings known to the Arab historians as flourishing between 697 and 870 A.D. by the synonymous names Zentil, Zenbil, Zenbyl, Zambil, Zantil, Ranbal, Ratbyl, Reteil, Retpeil, Rantal, Ratpil, Ratteil, Ratbal, Ratbil, Ratsal, Rusal, Rasal, Rasil. These are all meant for the same word, having arisen from the uncertainty of the Arabic character and the ignorance of transcribers. The particular king meant is most likely the opponent of Hajjaj and Muhammad Qasim between 697 and 713 A.D. The whole subject is involved in the greatest obscurity, and in the Panjāb his story is almost hopelessly involved in pure folklore. It has often been discussed in learned journals. See Indian Antiquary, vol. xi. pp. 299 ff. 346-349, vol. xii. p. 303 ff., vol. xiii. p. 155 ff.; Journal Asiatic Society of Bengal for 1854, pp. 123-163, etc.; Elliot's History of India, vol. i. pp. 167, 168, vol. ii. pp. 178, 403-427.
Lonan—For a story of Lonān, see Indian Antiquary, vol. ix. p. 290.
Thrown into a deep well—Still shown on the road between Siālkot and Kallowāl.
Gurū Gorakhnāth—The ordinary deux ex machinā of modern folk-tales. He is now supposed to be the reliever of all troubles, and possessed of most miraculous powers, especially over snakes. In life he seems to have been the Brāhmanical opponent of the medięval reformers of the fifteenth century A.D. By any computation Pūran Bhagat must have lived centuries before him.
Pūran Bhagat.—Is in story Rājā Rasālū's elder brother. There are numerous poems written about his story, which is essentially that of Potiphar's wife. The parallel between the tales of Raja Rasālu and Pūran Bhagat and those of the Southern Aryan conqueror Vikramāditya and his (in legend) elder brother Bhatrihari, the saint and philosopher, is worthy of remark.
HOW RAJA RASĀLU WENT OUT INTO THE WORLD
Bhaunr' Irāqi.—The name of Rasālu's horse; but the name probably should be Bhaunri Rakhi, kept in the underground cellar. 'Irāqi means Arabian.
Verses.—In the original these are—
Main āiā thā salām nūn, tūn baithā pīth maror! Main nahīn terā rāj wandānundā; main nūn nahīn rāj te lor.
I came to salute thee, and thou hast turned thy back on me! I have no wish to share thy kingdom! I have no desire for empire.
Mahlān de vich baithīe, tūn ro ro na sunā! Je tūn merī mātā hain, koī mat batlā! Matte dendī hai mān tain nūn, putar: gin gin jholī ghat! Chāre Khūntān tūn rāj kare, par changā rakhīn sat!
O sitting in the palace, let me not hear thee weeping! If thou be my mother give me some advice! Thy mother doth advise thee, son: stow it carefully away in thy wallet! Thou wilt reign in the Four Quarters, but keep thyself good and pure.
Verses.—In the original these are—
Thorā thorā, betā, tūn disīn, aur bahotī disī dhūr: Putr jinān de tur chale, aur māwān chiknā chūr.
It is little I see of thee, my son, but I see much dust. The mother, whose son goes away on a journey, becomes as a powder (reduced to great misery).
HOW RAJA RASĀLU'S FRIENDS FORSOOK HIM
Verses.—Originals are—
Agge sowen lef nihālīān, ajj sutā suthrā ghās! Sukh wasse yeh des, jāhan āeajj dī rāt!
Before thou didst sleep on quilts, to-day thou has slept on clean grass! Mayest thou live happy in this land whither thou hast come this night!
Snake—Most probably represents a man of the 'Serpent Race' a Nāga, Taka, or Takshak.
Unspeakable horror—The undefined word āfat, horror, terror, was used throughout.
Verses—Originals are—
Sadā na phūlan torīān, nafrā: sadā na Sāwan hoe: Sadā na joban thir rahe: sadā na jive koe: Sadā na rājiān hākimī: sāda na rājiān des: Sadā na hove ghar apnā, nafrā, bhath piā pardes.
Tcrīs (a mustard plant) do not always flower, my servant: it is not always the rainy season (time of joy). Youth does not always last: no one lives for ever: Kings are not always rulers: kings have not always lands: They have not always homes, my servant: they fall into great troubles in strange lands.
These verses of rustic philosophy are universal favourites, and have been thus rendered in the Calcutta Review, No. clvi. pp. 281, 282—
Youth will not always stay with us: We shall not always live: Rain doth not always fall for us: Nor flowers blossoms give.
Great kings not always rulers are: They have not always lands: Nor have they always homes, but know Sharp grief at strangers' hands.
HOW RAJA RASĀLU KILLED THE GIANTS
Giants—Rākshasa, for which see previous notes.
Nīlā city—Most probably Bāgh Nīlāb on the Indus to the south of Atak.
Verses—In the original these are—
Na ro, mata bholīe: na aswān dhalkāe: Tere bete ki 'īvaz main sir desān chāe. Nīle-ghorewālīd Rājā, munh dhārī, sir pag, Woh jo dekhte āunde, jin khāiā sārā jag.
Weep not, foolish mother, drop no tears: I will give my head for thy son. Gray-horsed Raja: bearded face and turban on head, He whom you see coming is he who has destroyed my life!
Verses—In original—
_Nasso, bhajo, bhāīo! Dekho koī gali! Tehrī agg dhonkaī, so sir te ān balī! Sūjhanhārī sūjh gae; hun laihndī charhdī jāe! Jithe sānūn sūkh mile, so jhatpat kare upāe!
Fly, fly, brethren! look out for some road! Such a fire is burning that it will come and burn our heads! Our fate has come, we shall now be destroyed! Make some plan at once for our relief._
Gandgari Mountains—Gandgarh Hills, to the north of Atak; for a detailed account of this legend see Journal Asiatic Society of Bengal for 1854, p. 150 ff.
HOW RAJA RASĀLU BECAME A JOGI
Hodīnagarī—A veritable will-o'-the-wisp in the ancient Panjāb geography: Hodīnagarī, Udenagar, Udaynagar, is the name of innumerable ruins all over the northern Panjāb, from Siālkot to Jalālābād in Afghānistān beyond the Khaibar Pass. Here it is more than probably some place in the Rawāl Pindi or Hazārā Districts along the Indus.
Rānī Sundrān—The daughter of Hari Chand.
Alakh—'In the Imperishable Name,' the cry of religious mendicants when begging.
Verses.—In original—
Jāe būhe te kilkiā: līa nām Khudā: Dūron chalke, Rānī Sundrān, terā nā: Je, Rānī, tū sakhī hain, kharī faqīrān pā:
Coming to the threshold I called out: I took the name of God: Coming from afar, Rānī Sundrān, on account of thy name. If thou art generous, Rānī, the beggar will obtain alms.
The Musalmān word Khudā, God, here is noticeable, as Rasālū was personating a Hindu jōgi.
Verses.
Kab kī pāī mundran? Kab kā hūā faqīr? Kis ghatā mānion? Kis kā lāgā tīr! Kete māen mangiā? Mere ghar kī mangī bhīkh? Kal kī pāī mundrān! Kal kā hūā faqīr! Na ghat, māīān, māniān: kal kā lagā tīr. Kuchh nahīn munh mangī: Kewal tere ghar ke bhīkh.
When didst thou get thy earring? When wast thou made a faqīr? What is thy pretence? Whose arrow of love hath struck thee? From how many women hast thou begged? What alms dost thou beg from me? Yesterday I got my earring: yesterday I became a faqīr. I make no pretence, mother: yesterday the arrow struck me. I begged nothing: only from thy house do I beg.
Verses.—In original—
Tarqas jariā tīr motīān; lālān jarī kumān; Pinde bhasham lagāiā: yeh mainān aur rang; Jis bhikhiā kā lābhī hain tū wohī bhikhiā mang. Tarqas jariā merā motīān: lālān jarī kumān. Lāl na jānā bechke, motī be-wattī. Motī apne phir lai; sānūn pakkā tām diwā.
Thy quiver is full of pearly arrows: thy bow is set with rubies: Thy body is covered with ashes: thy eyes and thy colour thus: Ask for the alms thou dost desire. My quiver is set with pearls: my bow is set with rubies. I know not how to sell pearls and rubies without loss. Take back thy pearls: give me some cooked food.
Verses.—In original—
Kahān tumhārī nagari? kahān tumhārā thāon? Kis rājā kā betrā jōgī? kyā tumhārā nāon? Siālkot hamārī nagarī; wohī hamārā thāon. Rājā Sālivāhan kā main betrā: Lonā parī merā māon. Pinde bhasam lagāe, dekhan terī jāon. Tainūn dekhke chaliā: Rājā Rasālu merā nāon.
Where is thy city? Where is thy home? What king's son art thou, jōgi? What is thy name? Sialkot is my city: that is my home. I am Rājā Sālivāhan's son: the fairy Lonā is my mother. Ashes are on my body: (my desire was) to see thy abode. Having seen thee I go away: Rājā Rasālū is my name.
Sati.—The rite by which widows burn themselves with their husbands.
HOW RAJA RASĀLU JOURNEYED TO THE CITY OF KING SARKAP
Raja Sarkap.—Lit. King Beheader is a universal hero of fable, who has left many places behind him connected with his memory, but who he was has not yet been ascertained.
Verses.—In original—
Bāre andar piā karanglā, na is sās, na pās. Je Maullā is nūn zindā kare, do bātān kare hamāre sāth. Laihndion charhī badalī, hāthān pāiā zor: Kehe 'amal kamāio, je jhaldi nahīn ghor?
The corpse has fallen under the hedge, no breath in him, nor any one near. If God grant him life he may talk a little with me. The clouds rose in the west and the storm was very fierce; What hast thou done that the grave doth not hold thee?
Verses.—In original—
Asīn bhī kadīn duniyān te inhān the; Rājā nal degrīān pagān banhde, Turde pabhān bhār. Āunde tara, nachāunde tara, Hānke sawār. Zara na mitthī jhaldī Rājā Hun sau manān dā bhār.
I, too, was once on the earth thus; Fastening my turban like a king, Walking erect. Coming proudly, taunting proudly, I drove off the horsemen. The grave does not hold me at all, Raja: Now I am a great sinner.
Chaupur, p. 256.—Chaupur is a game played by two players with 8 men each on a board in the shape of a cross, 4 men to each cross covered with squares. The moves of the men are decided by the throws of a long form of dice. The object of the game is to see which of the players can move all his men into the black centre square of the cross first. A detailed description of the game is given in The Legends of the Panjāb, vol. i. pp. 243, 245.
HOW RAJA RASĀLU SWUNG THE SEVENTY FAIR MAIDENS, DAUGHTERS OF THE KING
The daughters of Raja Sarkap.—The scene of this and the following legend is probably meant to be Kot Bithaur on the Indus near Atak.
Verses.—In original—
Nīle-ghorewāliā Rājā, niven neze āh! Agge Rājā Sarkap hai, sir laisī ulāh! Bhāla chāhen jo apnā, tān pichhe hī mur jāh! Dūron bīrā chukiā ithe pahutā āh: Sarkap dā sir katke tote kassān chār. Tainūn banāsān wohtrī, main bansān mihrāj!
Grey-horsed Rājā, come with lowered lance! Before thee is Rājā Sarkap, he will take thy head! If thou seek thy own good, then turn thee back! I have come from afar under a vow of victory: I will cut off Sarkap's head and cut it into four pieces. I will make thee my little bride, and will become thy bridegroom!
Hundredweight—Man in the original, or a little over 80 lbs.
Verses—In original—
Ik jo aia Rajpūt katdā māromār, Paske lārhān kapiān sittīā sīne bhār. Dharīn dharin bheren bhanīān aur bhane ghariāl! Taīn nūn, Rājā, marsī ate sānūn kharsī hāl.
A prince has come and is making havoc; He cut the long strings and threw us out headlong. The drums placed are broken and broken are the gongs. He will kill thee, Raja, and take me with him!
Verses—In original—
Chhotī nagarī dā waskīn, Rānī wadī karī pukār. Jān main niklān bāhar, tān merī tan nachāve dhāl. Fajre rotī tān khāsān, sir laisān utār.
Princess, thou hast brought a great complaint about a dweller in a small city. When I come out his shield will dance for fear of my valour. In the morning I will eat my bread and cut off their heads.
HOW RAJA RASĀLU PLAYED CHAUPUR WITH RAJA SARKAP
Dhol Rājā—It is not known why the rat was so called. The hero of a well-known popular love-tale bears the same name. Dhol or Dhaul (from Sanskrit dhavala, white) is in popular story the cow that supports the earth on its horns.
Verses—In original—
Sakhī samundar jamiān, Rājā līo rud gar thāe: Āo to charho merī pīth te, kot tudh kharān tarpāe. Urde pankhī main na desān, jo dauran lakh karor. Je tudh, Rājā, pārā khelsiā, jeb hāth to pāe.
O my beloved, I was born in the ocean, and the Rājā bought me with much gold. Come and jump on my back and I will take thee off with thousands of bounds. Wings of birds shall not catch me, though they go thousands of miles. If thou wouldst gamble, Raja, keep thy hand on thy pocket.
Verses—In original—
Na ro, Rājiā bholiā; nā main charsān ghāh, Na main tursān rāh. Dahnā dast uthāeke jeb de vich pāh!
Weep not, foolish Rājā, I shall not eat their grass, Nor shall I go away. Take thy right hand and put it in thy pocket!
Verses.—In original—
Dhal, we pāsā dhalwin ithe basante lok! Sarān dharān han bāziān, jehrī Sarkap kare so ho! Dhal, we pāsā dhalwen, ithe basanlā lok! Sarān dharān te bāzian! Jehrī Allah kare so ho!
O moulded pieces, favour me: a man is here! Heads and bodies are at stake! as Sarkap does so let it be. O moulded pieces, favour me: a man is here! Heads and bodies are at stake! as God does so let it be!
Verses.—In original—
Hor rāje murghābīān, tu rājā shāhbāz! Bandī bānān āe band khalās kar! umar terī drāz.
Other kings are wild-fowl, thou art a royal hawk! Unbind the chains of the chain-bound and live for ever!
Mūrtī Hills.—Near Rāwal Pindī to the south-west.
Kokilān.—Means 'a darling': she was unfaithful and most dreadfully punished by being made to eat her lover's heart.
THE KING WHO WAS FRIED
The king who was fried.—The story is told of the hill temple (marhī) on the top of Pindī Point at the Murree (Marhī) Hill Sanitarium. Full details of the surroundings are given in the Calcutta Review, No. cl. p. 270 ff.
King Karan,.—This is for Karna, the half-brother of Pāndu, and a great hero in the Mahābhārata legends. Usually he appears in the very different character of a typical tyrant, like Herod among Christians, and for the same reason, viz. the slaughter of innocents.
Hundredweight.—A man and a quarter in the original, or about 100 lbs.
Mānsarobar Lake.—The Mānasasarovara Lake (=Tsho-Māphan) in the Kailāsa Range of the Himālayas, for ages a centre of Indian fable. For descriptions see Cunningham's Ladāk, pp. 128-136.
Swan.—Hansa in the original: a fabulous bird that lives on pearls only. Swan translates it better than any other word.
King Bikramājīt.—The great Vikramāditya of Ujjayinī, popularly the founder of the present Sarhvat era in B.C. 57. Bikrū is a legitimately-formed diminutive of the name. Vikrāmaditya figures constantly in folklore as Bikram, Vikram, and Vichram, and also by a false analogy as Bik Rām and Vich Rām. He also goes by the name of Bīr Bikramājīt or Vīr Vikram, i.e. Vikramāditya, the warrior. In some tales, probably by the error of the translator, he then becomes two brothers, Vir and Vikram. See Postans' Cutch, p. 18 ff.
PRINCE HALF-A-SON
Half-a-son—Adhiā in the original form; ādhā, a half. The natives, however, give the tale the title of 'Sat Bachiān diān Māwān,' i.e. the Mothers of Seven Sons.
THE MOTHER OF SEVEN SONS
Broken-down old bed.—This, with scratching the ground with the fore-finger, is a recognised form of expressing grief in the Panjāb. The object is to attract faqīrs to help the sufferer.
THE RUBY PRINCE
Prince Ruby.—La'ljī, Mr. Ruby, a common name: it can also mean 'beloved son' or 'cherished son.'
Snake-stone.—Mani the fabulous jewel in the cobra's hood, according to folklore all over India. See Panjāb Notes and Queries, vol. i. for 1883-84.
THE END |
|
